Windows 10: AV Comparitives Updated

Cheers Cliff....must say am very impressed performance wise with Avira Free, apart from the nag nag to upgrade.

 

Good morning dencal.
As long as it runs in the background and does it's job, maybe one will not see the nags(so much anyhow).

 

If you want to get by with a decent firewall, and ditch your AV, you need a firewall with powerful HIPS/auto-sandboxing/application control, like Comodo for instance. It is going to be beyond the ability of the average disinterested user to set up and use it effectively, and he will just get infected in the end, unless he puts in the effort to learn the ropes.

 

If the user is average and disinterested then nothing will prevent infection.

 

Hi there

Past AV comparisons are a 100% WASTE OF TIME !!!!

1) Data is collected usually weeks before publication date.

2) New threats may appear at ANY time -- even say YESTERDAY rendering the old data as meaningless.

3) the OS the AV is being used on might have had several updates between the time data was collected and publication date.

If you want to use AV software - do it by all means although my own view is that for HOME computer users --not Corporates or Work computers is that this type of software is not really useful any more - most threats are from SCAMS etc rather than via virus attacks --YMMV of course.

Windows defender is probably more than good enough for 90% of people out there -- they don't use torrents but are much more likely to get scammed by opening rogue emails + attachments and giving out too much info on Social Media sites.

There's a lot of paranoia about this stuff --probably from I.T security consultants fearing job losses and other people who have a vested interest in creating hysteria about this type of stuff --e.g sales people, developers / workers in these small AV companies etc.

I'm much more worried about problems on Mobile phones than any threat on a HOME (note not WORK --differerent considerations there) computer.

Like all these things though - YMMV -- just understand what you are trying to protect yourself from. whether the threat is more imagined than real and whether it's how you USE a computer is more of a problem than any outside threat.

I mean for example why on earth would I be worried if my Bank account only has 50 USD in it at any one time !!!! - scammers are looking for more profitable ways of making money --a lot of the old Virus Hacks are so "Last Century".

Cheers
jimbo

 

Jimbo.
When will you ever learn.....there are millions of known virus, these tests are done using them.

Anybody at any time can be caught out on one of these by clicking on an innocent link with an infection installed.

Of course new virus cannot be stopped until an antidote is found, but these are few compared to the known zillions.

Accept that Defender does not stop KNOWN virus as well as the AV security suites, as shown by the results posted.

 

Hi there

How many people do you Personally know who have actually had a problem with any sort of Virus simply using a computer as typical users do -- If you use torrents / dubious downloads / open emails without checking that you know whose sending them first etc etc then OK - but actually I know literally 1000's of people none of whom who have ever had a computer virus in their lives.

I feel a lot of this stuff is just paranoia these days -- the main Virus creating Hacker groups have moved on to much more lucrative pickings these days.

I still maintain it's a huge number of people who have vested interests to protect who really are keeping the whole issue alive.

With standard AV protection and intelligent computer usage there's almost ZERO risk in getting a computer infected these days. Most attacks come from things that no amount of Software can protect you against.

When for example driving on the roads - there are literally zillions of possibilities of having an accident - but usually the chance of having an accident is thankfully mercifully small - and even here it's shown that careful drivers tend to get involved even in seemingly random accidents far less than slightly less careful drivers.

The risk these days of computer infection for careful users is still tiny -- anyway if you need AV software on top of the base supplied by Ms go for it -- but quoting a lot of PAST statistics on what is "the best" protection is meaningless in the absurd anyway as everybody tends to use computers differently and will never even by accident logon to some of those "fake websites" where this stuff could be loaded on to your computer.

By all means load up your PC with whatever you feel you need -- however most of this stuff isn't really needed anymore as far as the HOME environment is concerned -- most youngsters even when loading from Torrent sites are downloading movies / TV shows / music - and provided the file is a proper multi-media file there's zero chance of an embedded "nasty" in it -- an mkv file for example won't play if it's corrupt etc. Most of the well known sites ("Jolly Roger / Costa Rica Felines" etc. -- can't specify the specific links of course) actually check torrents regularly and there's almost zero risk of any infection from those sources.

Of course illegal software downloads is another matter - but if you do that you deserve what you get anyway. !!!!!

Cheers
jimbo

 

The bigger risk these day isn't so much viruses, it's ransomeware, malware, and zero day exploits.
Users should be using a layered approach any how.
"I only go to a few trusted sites" excuse doesn't work any more, as a large trusted site like Microsoft's MSN was serving up malware through (I'm not sure, but think it was)Google's doubleclick.

 

that depends a little on computer habits, but in any case, it is not good advice to have no anti-virus protection running.
The security experts don't need to be told, and the average user should not be told. It is like advising a motorcyclist not to wear a helmet, because changes are he will get hurt anyway.
In other words, AV is far from perfect, but it can often prevent an infection.

 

I myself taking note of both yourself and other members recommendation decided with the Insider Version of W10 with its increased security Edge browser, to rely on Defender and Mbam solely for protection.

This did not stop Ransomware loading itself on my computer, also another page capture virus installed itself prior to that.
Both these infections and how to eradicate them were posted on this forum.

How did I finally get rid of ransomware after a great deal of anguish.....Avira.

As for other people I have helped many friends to get rid of virus on their computers.
Do also take into account on this and many other forums there are daily requests seeking assistance for same.

 

Hi there

I think people have mis-understood what I was driving at here

For most HOME computer users IMO the standard protection built in to W10 (Windows defender) is perfectly adequate --I didn't ever say DON'T use AV - I merely suggested that a lot of extra add on 3rd party products for W10 aren't actually necessary - a bit of care taken with your computing habits and regular CLEAN backups should suffice.

There's far too many vested interests in the whole security arena these days -- and outdated comparisons are about as useful as a Chocolate Tea pot or last years Horse racing results.

@dencal - The mere fact you are trying Insider releases etc shows that you are using a computer a lot differently to your "typical user" --nothing wrong with that - loads on these forums are often testing stuff etc etc and using machines far differently to the average joe.

If you STILL got Ransomware in "Normal use" - would be interesting to know what site you got it from or where you THINK it came from. Other users can then be warned against visiting that site !!. (Or perhaps --do it on a VM of course --deliberately inviting the malware to test how effective the AV software is !!!).

Fortunately these sorts of attacks are quite rare and are only I suspect a "passing fad" as people look for more sophisticated ways of scamming users - usually scams are quite effective when they don't need any technical expertise to trap their victims. The most effective and lucrative scams in any case can't be controlled in any way whatsoever by Software --only Brainpower will prevent those.

IMO it's far better to teach users about these sorts of attacks rather than creating hysteria about all sorts of viruses which a normal user is never likely to encounter.

Protecting networks . computers in large organisations etc is a totally different ballgame of course. You DO need professional security systems in those environments.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Plan on just using Windows Defender/Malwarebytes once I do my clean install after I get my Upgrade For Windows 10 Pro sometime soon I hope, as I don't do much different each day, visit same sites, open Secondlife MMO game every day, figure as a typical consumer user the less bloat on new install the better, and system resources put to use for gaming and such. Will have to find another antivirus for my Android phone if I dumb Avast on Desktop though, as if I keep it on phone, then i'll be like probably should reinstall on PC lol, (I have before for some strange reason lol

 

First post updated with the May 2016 data.

 

Well done on beating England 2 1.